1st choice: Millar eyes O's return

You don't rebuild by bringing back 37 year old players. Andy must have confused rebuilding with recycling.

John wrote:

If they re sign Millar you can write off 2009 on opening day.Wouldn't surprise me though to see McPhail take the easy way out.McPhail only cares about cutting payroll,not winning.

I think to have Kevin Millar back is a plus, not a minus. You need players of his caliber a guy who wants to be here no matter what. If you truly want a younger team you still need a veteran presence and Millar is exactly that.

Ghost Results wrote:

Let me see if I can summarize the enthusiasm for 2010:
1) The existing team is buried in last place. It needs up to 10 new pitchers. The franchise has been a loser for over a decade.
2) The team needs a new 1B, 2B, SS, 3B and DH for 2010.
3) The GM and owner don't like to spend a lot of money on free agents.
4) The minor leagues will fill NONE of the positional gaps, and possibly 50% of the pitching gaps (best case).
Therefore, the team will be competitive in 2010.
It's stunning that anyone could predict anything but last place for the Orioles.

I was one of the fans who thought 2010 could be a good year. While I no longer see contention, I dont think seeing a much better team than what we have now is a stretch at all. What you are implying is regression, I just don't see that at all.

You were right in saying some time ago that contention in that time period was a pipedream, I dont see enough progress from the farm for that. I will have to move goalposts again. But, and get this, I like the way we are going about it, I am sick and tired of the useless "filler-type" free agent plan.

oscanada wrote:

Millar seems like a decent guy, fun to have around,etc. but bringing him back makes no sense. He is likely pushing to come back because he knows no other team is interested.
In all fairness, he hasn't quit on the season but if he's such a clubhouse influence, why hasn't he laid into the other veterans that have?

How do you know he hasn't ?

schlomo wrote:

Miller s not an issue really. For 2009 the issues are SS and starting pitching. Thats it. The rest will be OK. The team is as close or as far away as the pitching and shortstop take them.

This is the smartest comment to ever come out of Woodbridge,Va. group of posters.

Ghost Results wrote:

Hermitaj1----
The only people "touting" the 2010 roster are insane people.
How can anyone be excited about a club which has NO ONE SIGNED FOR 2010?!!!!!

I hear you and see them loud and clear, GR - as do many.

This year O's attendance will plummet to perhaps 2.1M from 3.7M (1997) and 2.6M (2005). A good 20% of these fans are visiting Yanks and BoSox fans - leaving a local fan base in the 1.6M range.

I don't know about you but I'll head back to the 1/2 empty stadium next year. But I'm not counting on anything other than remembering good times over an overpriced Guinness while listening to piped-in cheers. I will be thrilled if Andy MacPhail creates a watchable product by 2010. But after a decade of rebuilding promises I remain skeptical and now will focus -- yet again -- on finding a team to follow closely during the midst of post-season ball excellence.

Joe wrote:

<quoted text>
I was one of the fans who thought 2010 could be a good year. While I no longer see contention, I dont think seeing a much better team than what we have now is a stretch at all. What you are implying is regression, I just don't see that at all.
You were right in saying some time ago that contention in that time period was a pipedream, I dont see enough progress from the farm for that. I will have to move goalposts again. But, and get this, I like the way we are going about it, I am sick and tired of the useless "filler-type" free agent plan.

For your own sake i thought you were finsihed with this wastless blogging.Remember that last Monday morning of the season i was talking about when you pick up the paper and realize that we had a worse year then last. This team is unrepairable, not Andy Or any body else can fix it.

CRM..If he has laid into the vets, it doesn't seemed to have had much effect. Guys like Payton, Ramon and even-heaven forbid! Roberts seemed to have given up weeks ago.
Ultimately, motivating/'inspiring players is up to the manager and Trembley hasn't done much there. He's probably in awe of such legends as Jay to seay anything to them. Actually, having a younger team is probably better in a lot of ways, including the lack of a quit factor. In theory anyway, the younger players should be fighting for next year's roster spots so they should be less inclined to 'tank'. Of course, if they know they are as good as it gets and replacements are thin, then maybe they don't have to worry!

Wonderful Service for Hometown Fans!!!!

You gotta LOVE the fact that the Orioles website-posted schedule calendar features a boxed H in each "home" play date so you can book a room at the Holiday Inn.

The O's must figure that people from Towson, Annapolis and Dundalk will have had SO much fun that they need to book a room.

Thanks O's!!

Is Kevin Millar a top tier first basemen? No, but he does an adequate job and the club has much bigger holes (pitching, shortstop, catcher)to fill than to expend resources replacing Millar. In addition, I think his role in the clubhouse makes a difference - sometimes it's those intangibles that can propel a club to the next level - if only we could find decent pitching - that has to be the focus!

Bob wrote:

<quoted text>For your own sake i thought you were finsihed with this wastless blogging.Remember that last Monday morning of the season i was talking about when you pick up the paper and realize that we had a worse year then last. This team is unrepairable, not Andy Or any body else can fix it.

We may be cursed or so it seems, time will tell. I gave Andy and Peter a clean slate last summer. I forgave every transgression Mr. Angelos has pulled on us. As long as he lets MacPhail do his job with no interference, I feel in time we should be able to build a good team. Tampa shows that is can be done, with proper management.

As for me, yeah I jumped in again, I had to straighten someone out last Saturday, but I will be going back to the bench or rather the other site I blog on, these chats here go around and around in circles, I could tune in a month from now and we will still be discussing the same tired topics. Group A thinks MacPhail's on the right track, Group B thinks we are lost at sea as long as Angelos is in charge and never the twain shall meet or settle anything. So call it the long goodbye.

Hermitaj1 wrote:

Wonderful Service for Hometown Fans!!!!
You gotta LOVE the fact that the Orioles website-posted schedule calendar features a boxed H in each "home" play date so you can book a room at the Holiday Inn.
The O's must figure that people from Towson, Annapolis and Dundalk will have had SO much fun that they need to book a room.
Thanks O's!!

Many if not most teams do this, I checked 6 real quick, NNY, LAD, CLE, CHW do the same thing, TOR and TB did not. Camden Yards is a jewel and a must see for all baseball fans worldwide, this is not surprising that we would offer this link.

Bring him back as the first base coach and let him do what he does best for a living. Stand there and clap and take the batting gloves from from our boys when they reach 1st base.

Joe wrote:

<quoted text>
Many if not most teams do this, I checked 6 real quick, NNY, LAD, CLE, CHW do the same thing, TOR and TB did not. Camden Yards is a jewel and a must see for all baseball fans worldwide, this is not surprising that we would offer this link.

True. And I was trampled by the crowds of Japanese and Australian tourists at the last BoSox game.

Millar is an experienced hitter. His skills are diminishing, and he is not protected in the lineup as he was when he was in Boston.

Forget about Millar.

The good news for the O's --- Cliff Lee pitched yesterday, so there is a good chance the O's will not be facing Lee this week.

If Millar were as dependable for RBI's as Eddie Murray was at the same age, then I would say keep Millar as a DH. But Millar, as hard as he tries, is really just an OK hitter at this point.

Joe wrote:

<quoted text>
Many if not most teams do this, I checked 6 real quick, NNY, LAD, CLE, CHW do the same thing, TOR and TB did not. Camden Yards is a jewel and a must see for all baseball fans worldwide, this is not surprising that we would offer this link.

Yes, they all do just about the same stuff, and they all have their websites connected to mlb.com --- many have airline links as well as hotel links.

Baltimore has the advantage of having the beautiful park at Camden Yards, plus there are lots of people that might want to travel to Baltimore just to "pig out" on barbeque or seafood at restaurants that are featured in food magazines.

There will be few changes in the position players for next year . The FO and ownership talk rebuilding but the true intent is seen in action or in the case of the O's inaction. Next year will be more of the same.

Millar is the kind of player we NEED!!!!

I'd say Millar should be back as a bench player, but I don't think he's versatile enough (only able to play 1b/dh). He should not be here in 2009.

Thanks for your time Kevin. Hopefully the team is on to bigger and better things (once O's acquire some -- ANY -- pitching).

Kevin has been a good addition to the orioles.He is much
better 1st baseman then advertized,he a fun guy to watch
play.I believe he,s much more then his stats.His smile &
&GRINS ARE CONTAGIOUS.Kevin is a fan favorite.He
wants to be here.In my mind he is worth Keeping .